South Florida's Summer Fun

Mark Randall / Sun Sentinel

fl-beach-sand-PALM-f, Lake Worth, 2/22/2012 -- Thomas and Nicholas Labruzzi (l-r), vacationing from Long Island, New York, build a sand castle Wednesday at the Lake Worth Public Beach. Despite the attention given to high bacteria counts in beach water, a greater danger could lurk in the sand. An EPA study released last month found that kids who dug in beach sand were more than twice as likely to get diarrhea and other gastronintestinal illnesses than those who don't. Although the Florida Dept of Health tests water at beaches, no one tests the sand. Mark Randall, South Florida Sun Sentinel

fl-beach-sand-PALM-f, Lake Worth, 2/22/2012 -- Thomas and Nicholas Labruzzi (l-r), vacationing from Long Island, New York, build a sand castle Wednesday at the Lake Worth Public Beach. Despite the attention given to high bacteria counts in beach water, a greater danger could lurk in the sand. An EPA study released last month found that kids who dug in beach sand were more than twice as likely to get diarrhea and other gastronintestinal illnesses than those who don't. Although the Florida Dept of Health tests water at beaches, no one tests the sand. Mark Randall, South Florida Sun Sentinel

Beaches. Head east from almost anywhere in South Florida to find sun, surf and sand. Fishing piers up and down the coast give beachgoers great access to saltwater fishing and gorgeous views of the sunrise.

Dolphin Encounter at Miami Seaquarium. Once an experience only seen in the movies, the Seaquarium’s Dolphin Encounter allows guest to meet and communicate with a dolphin in a controlled, fun environment. Guests as young as 5 can get in the pool with a dolphin and touch their fins, pose for pictures and try some hand commands.

Everglades National Park. Check out the ranger-led programs, from nature walks to Everglades Exploration talks. Visitors can bike the 14-mile trail at Shark Valley or take a 2-hour narrated tram tour to see alligators, wading birds and other wildlife in their natural habitat. Younger visitors can complete a free, interactive program to earn a Junior Ranger badge.

Frost Museum of Science and Planetarium. Little can compare with the 1-year-old Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science in downtown Miami. With a huge 500,000-gallon aquarium that spans several stories, a MeLab for creative exploration, touch tanks, interactive touch screens, a planetarium, the Feathers to the Stars exhibit and traveling exhibits, the Frost can easily keep families entertained for a full day.

Gardens. Flamingo Gardens in Davie and Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach give residents the chance to dive into nature. Flamingo Gardens has 60 acres of botanical gardens with more than 3000 species of plants and trees and a wildlife sanctuary that is home to alligators, bobcats, eagles, otters, panthers, peacocks and its namesake flamingos. Morikami Museum has a tea house, a bonsai collection and six distinct Japanese gardens. The Morikami is known for several events, including its Sushi and Stroll summer walks, the Lantern Festival in October, its Family Fun Days craft workshops and tea ceremonies.

Hollywood’s Broadwalk. Enjoy the beach life, plus restaurants, water sports, entertainment and the new Margaritaville Resort along the Hollywood Broadwalk. Families can rent pedal-powered surreys to explore the Broadwalk, enjoy playgrounds steps away from the ocean and listen to live music at the bandshell.

Indoor Skydiving at iFly. Ages 3 to 103 can get the sensation of free falling without having to jump out of a plane. iFly instructors walk new flyers through a safety demonstration, help them get suited up in flight gear, then assist them in experiencing the thrill of flight inside a giant wind tunnel. Kids are especially adept at maneuvering inside the air tunnel, and with the help of the teacher, they can be flipping and flying in no time. iFly has a number of different packages for new and returning fliers, and some options include photos and videos that are ideal for social media sharing.

Jaxson's Ice Cream Parlour. This Hollywood institution serves up homemade ice cream in fabulous creations both curbside and inside its license-plate covered restaurant. Diners can order everything from cones and sundaes to the giant Kitchen Sink, which is served to a minimum of four guests and is priced per person, so it grows with the size of your table. The small store at the front of the restaurant offers a trip down memory lane with vintage candies and toys.

Key Largo. The wonder of the Florida Keys start just south of Miami, and the northernmost Key Largo is a great place to introduce your family to the abundant sealife just off the shore. Tours out of John Pennekamp State Park are a great way to introduce your kids to the fun of snorkeling in a supervised and supported environment.

Lion Country Safari. Florida's only drive-through safari and walk-through amusement park allows visitors to get an up-close encounter with more than 1,000 animals. Guests can drive through the safari, which is spread out across seven sections, and snap photos of the lions, antelopes, water buffalo, zebras, ostriches, giraffes and many other animals. After driving through, enjoy the walk-through park, which features animal exhibits and shows, a petting zoo, a giraffe feeding station, bird feedings, a water play park and water slides, paddle boats, mini golf, a giant slide and more — all included in admission.

Outdoor movies and concerts. Free events under the stars are popular for families in South Florida. Hollywood’s Funtastic Fridays and Movie Nights happen every week, and other outdoor movies and concerts occur monthly throughout the tri-county area.

Parks. South Florida has plenty of national, state and local parks to enjoy and explore the outdoors. Check out Sugar Sand Park in Boca Raton, a 132-acre park with a children's science center, carousel, performing arts theater and nature trails; C.B. Smith Park in Pembroke Pines with a water park, RV campground, tennis complex, family golfing center, concerts and more; and Oleta River State Park in North Miami Beach, known for its bike trails, canoeing or kayaking, picnic grills on the beach where families can swim or fish, and camping.

Quiet Waters.Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach, home to the Ski Rixen cable waterskiing park, also has platform tent and tepee camping, mountain bike trails, Splash Adventure water park, a marina with boats for rent, several lakes for fishing, bicycle rentals and basketball courts. Quiet Waters park is also home to the annual Florida Renaissance Festival.

Riverboat cruises. See South Florida from the water on the Jungle Queen, which cruises the New River with sightseeing or dinner-and-show cruises and and docks across from Fort Lauderdale’s beach. Island Queen Cruises inside Bayside Marketplace is the launching spot for Miami River Cruises and PonTiki Boat Cruises ply the waters in Palm Beach County with slides and tiki bars for cruisers.

Steam train rides. Every third weekend, trains are open at the Tradewinds & Atlantic Railroad at Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek. This sit-on model train ride is great for all ages, and families are encouraged to bring lunch to picnic in the park after or before their rides.

Underwater adventure. Get a glimpse of life under the sea on a glass-bottom boat ride, which are offered in Miami, Key Largo and Fort Lauderdale. Snorkel tours are also plentiful along the coast, from the Keys up to Palm Beach County. For those who prefer to stay dry, check out the underwater camera at the Deerfield Beach pier at dfb.city/beachcams.

Venetian Pool. Families with kids age 3 and older can cool off in this historic landmark in Coral Gables that is carved out of coral rock. The 820,000-galloon, spring-fed Venetian Pool features caves, stone bridges and waterfalls.

Xtreme Action Park and Gecko ParX. Don’t let the summer’s hot or wet afternoons stop the fun. Play and ride at Xtreme Action Park in Fort Lauderdale on the indoor go-kart track, roller skating rink, escape room, arcade, Bazooka Blast and ropes course. The newly opened Gecko ParX in Weston is a 40,000-square-foot trampoline and action park that has a main court with interlocking trampolines, basketball slam dunk courts, dodgeball, a pit with jousting and a slackline, and a Soft Play playground for young guests.

Young At Art Museum. Visit the exhibits, create your own artwork at various craft stations, and let the kids play for hours on the subway car in “ArtScapes,” the wave-themed play structure in “CultureScapes” and the STOMP percussion room. Young At Art also offers a variety of art workshops and camps for kids at its home in Davie, and some free art activities are offered at the Broward County library that is tucked behind the museum’s lobby.

Zoos. The 346-acre Miami Zoo has numerous water play areas in its 364 acres, a giraffe feeding station, and Safari Cycles that allow whole families to pedal around the zoo in a shaded space. Also in Miami, Jungle Island has reopened after renovating its space and adding water elements and other family fun to its animal exhibits and shows. The Palm Beach Zoo in West Palm Beach has water play at a central fountain, plus a Wildlife Carousel and Safari Train to entertain the kids.